Recording a top level security meeting and leaking it onto the Internet is tantamount to declaring war on Turkey, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has said.

“Wiretapping our prime minister, ministers and top officials is an open declaration of war against the Turkish Republic,” Davutoğlu told reporters March 27. “Taking the necessary precautions is the state’s duty.”

His remarks came hours after an illegal recording of a secret security meeting held at the Foreign Ministry was published on YouTube.

“After the meeting, military precautions were taken to protect the Süleyman Shah Tomb in Syria. Those who leaked the recording want to show the Turkish Republic in weakness and stop the precautions taken to protect the Süleyman Shah Tomb,” Davutoğlu said.

“We would like to express to our nation and all our citizens that the reputation of this state is the reputation of us all and its security is the security of us all. Any exercise that resembles espionage activity is an attack on the security of our state. The attackers will be heavily penalized,” he added.